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Fire Angels
“''Ours is not to judge His mind or purposes, for as the hand that turns the hourglass is our Emperor, it is according to His will that the grains of our lives are spent.” - Consul-Master Uriaens of the Fire Angels, ''Reflections on War, Vol. IX The Fire Angels are a Loyalist Space Marines Chapter created during the 25th Founding of the 40th Millennium from the gene-seed of the Ultramarines. The Fire Angels are best remembered in Imperial records for the role they played in the recent Badab War, a rebellion by several Space Marine Chapters against the Imperium of Man. Chapter History The Fire Angels' origins lie in the late 40th Millennium when they were created during the 25th Founding by the order of the High Lords of Terra. At their Founding, the Fire Angels were granted fief over the strategically important hive world of Lorin Alpha located in the western half of the Segmentum Solar. These Astartes do not specifically name their ancestral Chapter, but their gene-seed was sourced from Ultramarines stock, whilst their initial command and training structure was composed of honoured warriors drawn from several Ultramarines Successor Chapters. Their Initiates were drawn from a mixture of Lorin Alpha's military caste who served in the Planetary Defence Force and the violent kill-gangs of the world's sub-hive networks. Initiates were chosen through a thrice-annual process of trial by combat, fear and endurance known as the "Test of Fire." The Chapter's Master of Recruits conducts these series of bloody tournaments and they are carried out under the supervision of the Fire Angels' Chaplains. Despite a history that spans less than 2,000 standard years, the Fire Angels have established themselves as a rising star among the more recently Founded Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. Honourable to their allies and implacable to their foes, this Chapter's valiant record may yet see them eclipse Chapters of more ancient provenance and heritage in time. This Chapter is also unusually active and demonstrative in their faith in the Imperial Cult for Astartes, which has won them political support from within the Ecclesiarchy and allies amongst the Cardinals Solar. As a result, the Fire Angels have fought successfully alongside the Adeptus Sororitas and in numerous Wars of Faith since their inception. Their aid is often times actively sought by the Synod of the Adeptus Ministorum as well as the Ordo Hereticus of the Inquisition. Their detractors from some fellow Astartes Chapters view this close relationship with the Imperial church as unseemly and potentially compromising to the historic independence of the Space Marines, who have never deified the Emperor or seen the Primarchs as saints. Notable Campaigns *'The Fenright Tithe Wars (760.M39-411.M40)' - This was the Fire Angels' first baptism in blood as a fully active Astartes Chapter. The Chapter committed its full strength to the Third Imperial Interdiction Force to help suppress numerous apostates and heretics in the long-burning civil wars and Chaotic rebellions that had riven the Cal-Sek, Nepthis and Sadusyne Sectors. *'The Battle for Grand Al'gul (666.M41)' - At the behest of the Inquisition, the Fire Angels intercepted and fought the powerful Chaos Space Marines warband known as the Sanctified among the cemetery worlds of the Grand Al'gul System in a series of brutal assaults and counter-assaults. The Fire Angels Chapter paid a heavy price before victory was achieved, including the martyrdom of its Chapter Master Haran Stark when he battled a powerful Lord of Change, a Greater Daemon of Tzeentch, and the self-immolation of their Chief Librarian Mathias Dee in order to avoid daemonic Warp-possession. *'The Badab War (901-908.M41)' - Answering the Inquisition's call for aid, the Fire Angels arrived in the Badab Sector with an effective force of seven companies. The Chapter's largest and most costly engagement was the battle for the world of Sagan. The Fire Angels' casualties on Sagan were such that they could no longer be deployed as a frontline force, and along with a contingent of the Sons of Medusa, were redeployed to carry out a suppression campaign in the Endymion Cluster. After a series of brutal exterminations of the populations of several Seccessionist-held systems carried out by the savage Carcharodons Chapter, the Fire Angels voiced formal grievance against the Carcharodons with the Loyalist command. Reduced in strength but refusing to back down from their position, the Fire Angels eventually withdrew from the Babab conflict in 910.M41, wishing to avoid an open conflict between the two Chapters. Chapter Organisation For the most part, the Fire Angels are considered a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter, especially in regards to their interpretation of the text as a military treatise, which is also used as a military guide in their homeworld's aristocratic military traditions. Due to this Chapter's relative youth compared to more venerable Astartes Chapters, the Fire Angels have come to rely on easily replicable Imperial technology due to their lack of invaluable war-relics. The Fire Angels make extensive use of basic Codex pattern gear and vehicles such as the Rhino and Predator, while the majority of their 1st Company is fielded as Sternguard Squads. While they do possess examples of Terminator Armour, Land Raiders and Dreadnoughts they remain relatively few in number. This venerable equipment, which was provided to them at their Founding from several different Ultramarines Successors Chapters, is held in high regard, but due to their limited number their use is seldom a focus of the Chapter's battle strategy save during the direst emergencies. Combat Doctrine Shaped by their earliest trials in combat, the Fire Angels have developed a predilection for mobile mechanized deployments over the use of Drop Pod assaults or infiltration where practical. This tactic is fed by the ability of the ancient manufactorums on their homeworld to turn out the venerable armoured vehicle pattern chassis and the needed variant hulls and spare equipment as the Chapter's needs demand. As a result, the Fire Angels' Armoury contains a larger number of Predators, Whirlwinds and Vindicator siege tanks than many more established Chapters. Compared to other Astartes, discipline and their holy duty to the divine God-Emperor are higher virtues for the Fire Angels than the pursuit of personal glory. The Chapter relies on proven strategic doctrines from which they seldom deviate save in unusual circumstances. For example, they tend to regularly arm their Tactical Squads with Heavy Bolters for fire support and Melta Weapons for close-range anti-armour capabilities, while Flamers see extensive use by their assault formations as the preferred anti-personnel weapon. One of the Fire Angels' favoured martial traditions is their use of the sword in numerous forms not only as an adaptable close-combat weapon, but also as a symbol of rank and spiritual strength within the Chapter. Each Fire Angels' Battle-Brother considers his own blade to be the incarnate focus for their personal honour and prayer to the Emperor of Mankind. Chapter Beliefs It is worthy of note that the Fire Angels believe that despite being a Successor Chapter drawn from the gene-seed of the Ultramarines Legion, they do not consider Roboute Guilliman, their Primarch, to be anything other than an exceptional warrior. To this Chapter only the Emperor of Mankind and his saints are divine, and to proclaim or venerate otherwise is considered to be a form of idolatry. The Fire Angels view themselves as part of the wider Imperium's web of power, and so have gained a reputation among a number of Imperial commanders and generals as somewhat easier to work with than many other Astartes, who usually ferociously guard their political independence and favoured status among the Emperor's servants, particularly from encroachment by the Ecclesiarchy or the Inquisition. Conservative in their viewpoint, the Fire Angels embrace the Imperial Creed as an unassailable divine truth and see themselves as holy warriors in the God-Emperor's service whose foremost duty is to defend Mankind from those who would assail it. Notable Fire Angels *'Consul-Master Uriaens,' Chapter Master - Current Chapter Master of the Fire Angels Chapter. *'Haran Stark (Deceased),' Chapter Master - Former Chapter Master who sacrificed himself in battle against a powerful Lord of Change whilst defending the sacred Narthex of Penitents in the mid-41st Millennium. *'Mathias Dee (Deceased),' Chief Librarian - Valiantly sacrificed himself by self-immolation to avoid Warp-possession whilst battling against the powerful Chaos Space Marine warband called the Sanctified in the Grand Al'gul system in the mid-41st Millennium. Chapter Appearance |right|thumb|300px|Fire Angels Original Colour Schemes Chapter Colours The original colours of the Fire Angels Chapter included white Power Armour with red trim around the shoulder plates, the wrists and on the upper legs. The updated colour scheme has the Fire Angels presented as wearing silver armour with red trim around the shoulder plates. An Astartes' company number and colour is indicated on the right knee plate and the type of squad (Tactical, Devastator, Assault, etc.) is indicated on the left knee plate. Chapter Badge The Chapter badge of the Fire Angels is a red crosslet which adorns both shoulder plates. Sources *''Imperial Armour - The Badab War - Part One'', pp. 90-97 Gallery Image:Mark VIII 'Errant'.jpg|Fire Angels Space Marine in Mark VIII Power Armour Image:Fire Angels Assault Marine.jpg|Fire Angels Assault Marine Image:Techmarine.jpg|Fire Angels Techmarine Image:Veteran Sergeant.jpg|Fire Angels Veteran Sergeant in Artificer Armour Image:Veteran Terminator.jpg|Fire Angels Terminator Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Badab War Category:Imperium